Trust Me, You NEED an Instant Pot!

You may be thinking, “What IS an Instant Pot, April?” You may also be wondering if I’m getting paid to promote their product. Nope, not a cent. I just love it that much and want to make sure you hear about it. I had never even heard of it until Predominantly Paleo posted it on her Facebook page several months ago!

An Instant Pot is a programmable pressure cooker. And It. Is. Awesome.

Absolutely simple to program. You can use the preset programs or use it manually.

It cooks meals that normally take all day in a very short period of time. It infuses flavor, it tenderizes, you can saute in it, you can cook rice in it, you can steam things, you can make soup, stew, ribs, sauces, you can also use it as a slow cooker, and you can even use it to make yogurt! It’s only as limited as your imagination. And if you’re not the imaginative type, there’s Instant Pot Cookbooks and bloggers who will do the imagining part for you.

One of the best things about the Instant Pot is that it’s not terrifying and unpredictable like the old-fashioned pressure cookers.

A removable stainless steel inner pot that is a cinch to clean.

The 6 quart retails for about $235.00 but the good news is that it goes on sale on Amazon during special events. I purchased mine for about $99 last summer during Prime Days. They were also just recently on sale again on Amazon for Black Friday and I believe my sister-in-law was able to get one for around $83.00. A steal! And knowing what I know now after using it for a few dishes, I would have gladly paid the $235.00.

One tiny flick of the finger and it’s simple to release the steam valve.

It cooks a whole chicken in 25 minutes folks. Twenty five minutes. I did one a couple of weeks ago and it made such moist and tender sandwich meat. I also used the meat in a pasta dish, and a salad meal. I made French Dips last night, in fact I made them last week too. I didn’t have to worry about getting the roast browned in a separate pan and then transferring it to a crockpot by at least noon so it would have time to cook and tenderize by dinner and not taste like shoe leather either.

We ran errands most of the afternoon. We got home at 4:45, I browned the 2.5 lb roast right inside the Instant Pot. When was the last time you were able to do that in a crock pot?

Never.

When browning I place the Instant Pot on top of my stove under the fan. When it’s browned on all sides, I move the pot back to the counter and add the remaining ingredients.

Then I added 32 ounces of beef broth, half an onion, some herbs and sea salt, and set the timer for 45 minutes.

I buttered and seasoned a few gluten free buns to be broiled at the last minute.

Then I went up stairs and took a 35 minute bath. Seriously. That easy.

Right when I was coming downstairs, the timer went off, but I don’t have to worry because it kicks into warm mode immediately and continues tenderizing. So I popped the buns under the broiler, and with one flick let the steam safely out of the Instant Pot. If you don’t want your house to smell like dinner (I don’t know why you wouldn’t…but anyhoo), you can simply carry the pot outside to your back porch and release the steam there.

Once it stopped steaming, I removed the lid to see this tender and flavorful beauty.

We sliced it up, built our sandwiches, dished out the au jus, and that was that. SO. Incredibly. Easy. And tender and juicy! All things it would not have been had I cooked it in a crock pot for 45 minutes.

I’ve also made bone broth twice. The first time I did 3 roasted chicken carcasses. 2 hours flat. A far cry from 48 hours in a crock pot and it didn’t permeate our house with the smell of cooked flesh. The Instant Pot makes the most gelatinous bone broth I’ve ever been able to achieve. I’ve been making it semi regularly for almost 4 years, so that’s saying something.

For those of you who are new to bone broth, the gelling happens when it’s been cooled. When you heat it and drink it or use it in recipes, it tastes like broth and has the consistency of broth. The reason we get excited about the gelling aspect, is because the more it gels, the more we can see that the cooking process was successful at leaching out all of the collagen and good stuff. Bone broth is excellent for gut health, joint pain, and inflammation.

I made bone broth out of our turkey carcass day before yesterday. This time I cooked it for 2 hours, let it cool for about 20 minutes with the lid off, then set it for another hour just to make sure all the healthy goodness was utilized.

It’s incredibly easy. I pack in all of the bones and carcass, skin, and any leftover meat that isn’t going to be eaten. Then, fill it up to the Max Line with filtered water. Add 1 Tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and sometimes I add herbs and sometimes I don’t. Then I Manually set the cook time for 120 minutes, lock on the lid (it has a chime that lets you know it’s locked) and that’s it.

The chicken bone broth yielded 8 – 12 ounce mason jars of bone broth and the turkey yielded about 10 – 12 ounce jars. So just as many if not more than a regular crock pot, but so much more flavorful and gelatinous.

Below are some links you can click for more Instant Pot information and recipes.

It’s not at all and I think it would be extremely difficult to have an accident with it. It’s just as easy, even easier, than using a crock pot. I highly recommend it. If you search “Instant Pot” on Amazon, they are still having some sales today. I have the 6 quart and as you already have read, LOVE it!!

As soon as I read your blog (which I love, btw) about this pot, I went straight to Amazon and bought it. I paid $111 (w/tax and, of course, no shipping cost). I also bought a cookbook so I know where to start. haha I cook for 50 kids every Friday and this will sure come in handy! Thanks so much…they should be paying you, though, for the endorsement. I don’t often read something and immediately buy it. A blessed Christmas to you! Your house looks lovely! Cynthia

That’s wonderful Cynthia, I promise you will love it! And wow, 50 kids, what fun! Thank you for the compliments, I’m so happy you enjoy my blog. 🙂 Wishing you a blessed and peaceful Christmas and a healthy New Year! xoxo April

Hi April! Ok, you’ll be proud of me….I’ve been using my Instant Pot slowly but surely and I do admit it’s REALLY nice to cook something in 25 minutes versus several hours. But question for you….I’ve been doing bone broth for about a year now, maybe a bit longer and mine has NEVER come out that gelatinous. What am I doing wrong? I’m using Against All Grain’s “recipe” and it comes out just like regular broth, with a small amount of gelatin on the top. But yours looks like solid gelatin. Pointers? I usually cook mine for a minimum of 24 hours…sometimes 30. Thanks!!! 🙂

Are you using roasted bones? For chicken bone broth I use the leftover roasted carcass, skin, and innards after I roast a whole chicken (or turkey). And for beef bone broth I order organic marrow bones and oxtail online and then roast them for a bout 40-60 minutes before making bone broth. Roasting is key to really flavorful and gelatinous broth. Also, I’m wondering if you’re using too much water?

I’ve done bone broth in my Instant Pot twice now and love it! No more 20-30 hours!! Here’s how I do it:

3 Roasted Chicken Carcasses (broken down) with Skin & Innards (giblets, etc.) …I’ve also used just 1 carcass…
Cover with Filtered Water (just to the fill line on the pot or just to the top of bones if using a crockpot)
Add 1 Tablespoon of Apple Cider Vinegar
Season Generously with Sea Salt
A Few Stems Each of Fresh Thyme, Sage, & Rosemary
(You can put vegetables in too if you want, but I don’t because I think it takes up broth room and I like to get as much broth out of the carcass as possible)

Secure the lid and make sure the steam valve is shut. Press MANUAL and set the timer to go for 120 minutes. That’s the longest the IP will cook. When the timer goes off, release the steam, take the lid of and let it set for 20 minutes. Then, cook it again on MANUAL for another 60 minutes.

Both times, whether I used 1 carcass or 3, once the broth cooled it was 100% gelatinous. In the past when I’ve made bone broth in a regular crockpot it has also been nicely gelatinous but not quite as much as when I use the IP. So I’m thinking that you are probably just using too much water.

Hi Rae! It will last in the fridge for a few days and in the freezer for several months. I freeze all of mine in canning jars and then when I want to use it, set it in a bowl of hot water to defrost and then heat up in a pan or use it in a recipe.